LAS VEGAS – Rafael Estevam is in a bit of a strange situation.
The Brazilian is unbeaten and has more experience, both in MMA and in the UFC, than his opponent, Ethyn Ewing, who already has two defeats in his young MMA career. Yet, Estevam (14-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) enters Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 272 as the underdog and not Ewing (9-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC). Estevam is well aware of the situation with the oddsmakers, but remains unbothered by it all.
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“I think it’s a natural thing when moving up a division, you know what to expect with a guy that’s moving up, but I saw it as well that people are betting on me and believing in me as well,” Estevam said through an interpreter at media day. “Bets have come in for me as an underdog. I think that it’s natural to wait for something like that when you come into a new division. After Saturday, there will be no doubts, and you’ll know exactly who Rafael ‘Macapa’ is.”
Estevam is moving up from flyweight to bantamweight. He made the move after an impressive run at 125 pounds, where he defeated respectable names such as Charles Johnson, Jesus Aguilar, and Felipe Bunes. On the other hand, Ewing made his UFC debut by pulling off a short-notice upset over Malcolm Wellmaker in November.
Estevam didn’t share a particular strategy for upsetting Ewing, but made it clear that he’s ready for it all.
“I’m forged in adversity,” Estevam explained. “We train very hard, whether it’s standing and we need to stand and do it, or whether it’s going to the ground and do that. Whatever it is, we’re ready for all adversity and all challengers, and we’re ready to do whatever needs to be done on Saturday.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Vegas 115: Rafael Estevam unbothered by underdog status
